Paris
Country: France · 2,113,705 inhabitants · Founded: -300
Attractions
Wikivoyage
Paris, the cosmopolitan capital of France, has the reputation of being the most beautiful and romantic of all cities, brimming with historic associations and remaining vastly influential in the realms of culture, art, fashion, food and design.
Dubbed the City of Light (la ville lumière) and the City of Love (la ville de l'amour), Paris is home to some of the world's finest and most luxurious fashion designers and cosmetics, such as Chanel, Christian Dior, Yves Saint-Laurent, Guerlain, Lancôme, L'Oréal, and Clarins. A large part of the city, including the banks of the River Seine, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city has the second highest number of Michelin-starred restaurants in the world (after Tokyo, which is much larger) and contains numerous iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, Notre-Dame de Paris, the Louvre, the Moulin Rouge and the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, making it one of the most popular international tourist destinations in the world, with around 14 million visitors annually.
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Wikipedia
Paris is the capital and largest city of France, with an estimated city population of 2,048,472 in an area of 105.4 km2 (40.7 sq mi), and a metropolitan population of 13,171,056 as of January 2025. Located on the river Seine in the centre of the Île-de-France region, it is the largest metropolitan area and fourth-most populous city in the European Union (EU). Nicknamed the City of Light, partly because of its role in the Age of Enlightenment, Paris has been one of the world's major centres of finance, diplomacy, commerce, culture, fashion, and gastronomy since the 17th century.
Administratively, Paris is divided into twenty arrondissements (districts), each having their own cultural identity. Haussmann's renovation of Paris, which created new boulevards, parks, and public works, gave birth to a modern city known as the "capital of the 19th century". Paris is a major railway, motorway, and air-transport hub; in 2024 Charles de Gaulle Airport was the EU's busiest airport. Paris has one of the most sustainable transportation systems in the world and is one of only two cities that have received the Sustainable Transport Award twice. Its Art Nouveau-decorated Métro has become a symbol of the city. Paris is known for its museums and architectural landmarks: the Musée d'Orsay, Musée Marmottan Monet, and Musée de l'Orangerie are noted for their collections of French Impressionist art, while the Musée National d'Art Moderne, Musée Rodin, and Musée Picasso are noted for their collections of modern and contemporary art. Parts of the city along the Seine have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991.
The President of France and both houses of the French Parliament sit in Paris. Paris is home to several United Nations organisations, including UNESCO, as well as other international organisations such as the OECD, the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (in neighbouring Saint-Cloud), the International Energy Agency, the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, the International Federation for Human Rights, and the Fédération internationale de l'Automobile, along with European bodies such as the European Space Agency, the European Banking Authority, and the European Securities and Markets Authority. The city hosts many sporting events, such as the French Open, and is the home of the association football club Paris Saint-Germain and the rugby union club Stade Français. Paris has also hosted the Summer Olympics three times.
